


DUM-E is Distressed

by Withstarryeyes



Series: Soft College Boiiis [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Artist Steve, Comforting Steve, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Football Player Steve, Hurt Tony, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attacks, Protective Steve, Robotics Competition, Student Rhodey, Student Steve, Student Tony, Tony Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony has panic attacks, Tony is an Engineer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-17 22:24:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16105046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Withstarryeyes/pseuds/Withstarryeyes
Summary: Tony has a panic attack at the robotic conference where him and Rhodey are presenting DUM-E. Steve helps.





	DUM-E is Distressed

Steve sighs and checks the clock for the third time in half an hour. He drums his fingers impatiently on the metal rail in front of him, wishing for the tenth time that he had brought his sketchbook. His phone’s been dead for a few hours and he can’t see Tony’s scruff of hair over the crowd anymore. He’s proud, of course, he is, that Tony is here at Harvard, presenting his robot DUM-E at the national robotics convention but he’s beyond bored. 

Steve’s not dumb by any means, he may be an art major and jock but he still loads up his schedule with math and physics classes for fun. He can keep up with Tony on a few of his more sleep-deprived days but here he feels like the dumbest bag of rocks around. 

“I heard one of the teams has an AI unit, I wonder what language it’s coded in. Do you think they use Java?” A nasally guy 3 rows behind Steve asks and he looks back in time to see his friend’s jaw gape open. 

“Java? Why would they use Java when there are at least 20 other languages better suited to coding robots to respond to human intentions?”

He’s about to fully turn around and watch the fight that he knows is about the occur but the lights dim and Steve whirls around to see an MC come out. Its Howard Stark and he winces, knowing that must sting Tony, that he’s gonna get up there and at least half the crowd is going to think he was only invited because his dad is hosting. Little do they know that Howard tried for months to disqualify Tony, thinking that DUM-E would tarnish the Stark reputation, that it was just a jumble of nuts and bolts. He feels his fist clench and he doesn’t even hear a word Howard says, only watches as Rhodey swoops in to take the mic. 

He’s confused, however, when Tony doesn't trail behind Rhodey. They’re a team and Rhodey is standing alone in the middle of the stage, wearing a golden plaid shirt over a faded Shield t-shirt. 

He catches Rhodey’s eyes as the senior goes to start his speech, there’s worry clear in the man’s brown pupils that don’t match the cheesy smile on his face. Steve motions towards the back and mouths ‘Tony?’, Rhodey gives an almost imperceptible nod and Steve begins to wind through the crowd, up the side stairs that lead to the back of the stage. The security almost stops him but they hear the wail of “Steve!” just in time and usher him through. 

Tony looks like a mess when Steve reaches him. His shirt is sticking to his front, slick with sweat, and he’s taken off his matching plaid shirt to tie it around his waist. His skin is beyond pale and it’s slightly gray. He’s breathing in ragged gasps and Steve is surprised he’s getting any oxygen at all. 

“Hey, Tones, Tony?” He sinks to his knees and pulls Tony to rest on his chest, rubbing his hands up and down his boyfriend’s arms. He snakes a free hand to nab Tony’s glasses and folds them, setting them down by his right knee, returning to cover Tony’s eyes with his hand.

“Breathe, come on you remember, in, out,” he says in hushed tones into Tony’s ear. Tony immediately relaxes, going limp in Steve’s arms and slowly, steadily, controls his breathing. DUM-E is making panicked beeping noises from where he’s being held, and if DUM-E was programmed well enough to pick locks Steve knows the AI would’ve broken down his cage long before Steve got there. 

“Better?” Steve asks. Tony’s got a few of his fingers curled in the collar of Steve’s shirt and his eyes still look miles away. He’s exhausted, Steve knows, having been there for dozens of Tony’s attacks before, and as much as Steve wants to scoop Tony up in his arms, gap-tooth, dazed smile and all, he knows that Tony can’t miss this. He has to go out. 

“Yeah, gimme a minute, I’ve gotta, I need to go--Rhodey’s stalling.”

“Catch your breath first, here.” Steve pulls his top over his head, a navy blue Shield t-shirt with the crest plastered over the front, and swiftly changes Tony out of his soaked one. He pulls Tony up to a standing position and waits the agonizing few seconds where Tony can’t seem to get his feet under him. 

“You’re gonna do great, babe,” he says and if Tony can hear the concern coloring his words he doesn’t mention it. He’s got his game face back on, and he takes the few strides to DUM-E’s holding cage and frees him. The AI spins in circles around Tony, grasping the loose edges of his flannel and making beeping sounds that sound astonishingly close to sighs of relief. 

“Down boy, I’m okay,” Tony giggles and smooths his hand across the top of the AI. “We’ve got a crowd to please.” And then Tony pulls out his softest smile, the one Steve only ever sees in the early throes of dawn, when Tony’s features are blurred by the soft pink hues of the sky filtering in through his dorm windows, and DUM-E immediately quiets, turning to trail after Tony like a lost puppy. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! I hoped you liked this one! Tomorrow I will be posting the second chapter to Autumnal Shenanigans and on Friday I will be posting a fic where they have a fight. If you would like to see anything happen within this series please feel free to leave me prompts, I always love the inspiration. And as always if you liked this and want to see more please leave a kudos or a comment so that I can gauge interest. 
> 
> Thanks,  
> C


End file.
